On Tuesday morning as the sun came up over Wagners’ warehouse in Townsville, two mythical marine queens were raising tripods at their gates, stopping work at the company in a dramatic show of sea creaturely resistance.

Wagners has been targeted by anti-coal activists because of the company’s agreement to build a FIFO airport for the controversial Adani Carmichael coal project. Tripods have been erected at both entrances to Wagners’ facility.

The tripods are occupied by Ursula the sea witch and Triton, queen of the oceans, in an ecofeminist reconstruction of popular children’s story The Little Mermaid. The fantasy enemies are collaborating in a sisterly action to save the oceans from acidification and overheating due to global warming.

Ursula the sea witch is on a tripod across Wagners’ front entrance, with a banner reading “It’s getting hotter, under the water, no Adani”. Queen Triton, from her tripod across Wagners’ back gate, holds a banner reading “Rising sea, rise with me”.

This theatrical action has three very simple demands: that Wagners cancel their contract with Adani; that all contractors cancel their contracts with Adani, and that Adani and their contractors take on board the catastrophic impacts of climate change on our oceans and fresh water.

Climate impacts on the world’s oceans and reefs are widely recognized to be crossing a point of no return, endangering not only marine life but all of life on earth. Burning fossil fuels is the major contributor to acidification, ocean warming and the melting of polar ice.

Given the high stakes, Ursula and Triton, two long time adversaries, have thrown the Disney script on the scrap heap and united to fight a common enemy — coal, and the unlocking of the Galiliee basin coal deposits.

Speaking from her tripod, Ursula said “Allies of Adani! Be ye company or council, ye be morally reprehensible and complicit in the destruction of our climate and our oceans. Back away from this project or feel my wrath” said Ms Sea Witch.

Queen Triton echoed these sentiments, saying “The continued burning of coal has vast and destructive impacts on our oceans. New coal development would be outrageous. We must act now, for all creatures great and small” said Her Royal Highness.

Ursula and Queen Triton have vowed to continue the campaign to end coal until their ocean home is safe.

Whether you're keen to get your boots dirty on the front lines of coal and gas developments, or have some spare time at home to sling memes and pump social media, there are plenty of roles and lots to do!...